Preverbs

Observation

ᓂᒌ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

nichii miichisun.

I ate.

ᓂᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

nimiichisun.

I am eating.

The ᒌchii in the above example is called a preverb. Preverbs are found just before the verb, and after the personal prefix in the Independent order. Preverbs can express variation of tense (past, future) and modality (‘want’, ‘can’), as well as aspectual dimensions of events, such as, ‘begin to…’, ‘stop…’, etc.

Preverbs expressing tense and modality are written separately. Other preverbs are written attached to the verb. These tend to express aspectual dimensions or qualities of events. Often the can also function as an initial.

The order of preverbs is relatively fixed, with some appearing closer to the verb than others when several are used together.

Person Prefix

Preverbs

Verb Stem

Suffixes

ᓂ

ᒌ ᐧᐄ

ᐙᐸᐦᑦ

ᐁᓐ

ni

chii wii

waapaht

e n

I

past want

see

it

ᓂ

ᒌ ᐧᐄ

ᐙᐸᒻ

ᐁᐅᒡ

ni

chii wii

waapam

e u ch

I

past want

see

them

Note: The suffixes include information on the theme, person, obviation, and number.

Below is a list of common preverbs with their meaning, function and examples on how they are used.

Preverb

Usage

Examples

ᒉ

che

future marker for conjunct verbs

ᒉ ᓂᑲᒧᔮᓐ᙮

che nikamuyaan.

I will sing.

ᒉ ᓂᑲᒧᔨᓐ᙮

che nikamuyin.

You will sing.

ᒉ ᓂᑲᒧᑦ᙮

che nikamut.

S/he will sing.

ᒌ

chii

past tense marker

ᓂᒌ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

nichii miichisun.

I ate.

ᒋᒌ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

chichii miichisun.

You ate.

ᒌ ᒦᒋᓲ᙮

chii miichisuu.

S/he ate.

ᐁ ᒌ ᒦᒋᓱᔮᓐ᙮

e chii miichisuyaan.

When I ate

ᑲᑕ

kata

future preverb for independent verbs used only with third persons: ᐧᐄwii, ᐧᐄᐧᐋᐤwiiwaau (incl. Obv)

ᑲᑕ ᒦᒋᓲ ᐅᑖᑯᔑᔨᒉ᙮

kata miichisuu utaakushiyiche

S/he will eat this evening.

ᒋᑲ

chika

future preverb for independent verbs used with second and third persons: ᒌchii, ᒌᔮᓅchiiyaanuu, ᒌᐙᐤchiiwaau, ᐐwii, ᐐᐙᐤwiiwaau (incl. Obv)

ᒋᑲ ᒦᒋᓲ ᐅᑖᑯᔑᔨᒉ᙮

chika miichisuu utaakushiyiche.

S/he will eat this evening.

ᒋᑲ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ ᐅᑖᑯᔑᒉ᙮

chika miichisun utaakushiche.

You will eat this evening.

ᓂᑲ

nika

future preverb for independent verbs used with first persons: ᓃnii, ᓂᔮᓐniyaan

ᓂᑲ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ ᐅᑖᑯᔑᒉ᙮

nika miichisun utaakushiche.

I will eat this evening.

ᒉᒌ

chechii

conjunct preverb

ᐧᐊᓂᒋᔅᒋᓲ ᒉᒌ ᐯᑖᑦ ᐊᓂᔫ ᐊᑯᐦᐱᔫ᙮

wanichischisuu chechii petaat aniyuu akuhpiyuu.

He forgot to bring that jacket.

ᓂᑐᐧᐁᔨᒫᐤ ᒉᒌ ᐃᐦᑑᑕᐦᒃ᙮

nituweyimaau chechii ihtuutahk.

I want him to do it.

ᒌ

chii

can always preceded by a future preverb (ᓂᑲnika and ᒋᑲchika in the independent, ᒉche in the conjunct)

ᓂᑲ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑐᐦᑌᓐ᙮

nika chii ihtuhten.

I can go.

ᒋᑲ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑐᑌᓐ᙮

chika chii ihtuten.

You can go.

ᒋᑲ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑐᑌᐤ᙮

chika chii ihtuteu.

S/he can go.

ᒉ ᒌ ᐃᐦᑐᐦᑌᐧᐋᓀ᙮

che chii ihtuhtewaane.

If I can go.

ᐧᐄ

wii

want

ᓂᐧᐄ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

niwii miichisun.

I want to eat.

ᒋᐧᐄ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

chiwii miichisun.

You want to eat.

ᐧᐄ ᒦᒋᓲ᙮

wii miichisuu.

S/he wants to eat.

ᓂᐸᐦ

nipah (C)

should used with first persons: ᓃnii, ᓂᔮᓐniyaan

ᔖᔥ ᓂᐸᐦ ᑰᔑᒨᓐ ᐆ ᐁ ᐃᔥᐱᔑᐸᔨᒡ᙮

shaash nipah kuushimuun uu e ishpishipayich.

ᓂᐹ

nipaa (I)

I should be in bed at this hour.

ᒋᐸᐦ

chipah (C)

should used with second and third persons: ᒌchii, ᒌᔮᓅchiiyaanuu, ᒌᐧᐋᐤchiiwaau, ᐧᐄwii, ᐧᐄᐧᐋᐤwiiwaau (incl. Obv)

ᔖᔥ ᒋᐸᐦ ᑰᔑᒨᓐ ᐆ ᐁ ᐃᔥᐱᔑᐸᔨᒡ᙮

shaash chipah kuushimuun uu e ishpishipayich.

You should be in bed at this hour.

ᒋᐹ

chipaa (I)

ᔖᔥ ᒋᐸᐦ ᑰᔑᒨ ᐆᔫ ᐁ ᐃᔥᐱᔑᐸᔨᔨᒡ᙮

shaash chipah kuushimuu uuyuu e ishpishipayiyich.

S/he should be in bed at this hour.

ᐁ

e

conjunct preverb

ᓂᒥᔦᔨᐦᑌᓐ ᐁ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐄᒉᔮᓐ᙮

nimiyeyihten e masinahiicheyaan.

I like to write.

ᒋᒥᔦᔨᐦᑌᓐ ᐁ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐄᒉᔨᓐ᙮

chimiyeyihten e masinahiicheyin.

You like to write.

ᒥᔦᔨᐦᑕᒻ ᐁ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐄᒉᑦ᙮

miyeyihtam e masinahiichet.

S/he likes to write.

ᑳ

kaa

conjunct preverb

ᑳ ᐊᔨᒥᔮᓐ᙮

kaa ayimiyaan.

When I spoke.

ᑳ ᐊᔨᒥᔨᓐ᙮

kaa ayimiyin.

When you spoke.

ᑳ ᐊᔨᒥᑦ᙮

kaa ayimit.

When s/he spoke.

ᐅᐦᒋ

uhchi

from, because used in the negative independent with ᓇᒧᐃnamui or in the negative conjunct with ᐁᑳekaa

ᓇᒧᐃ ᐅᐦᒋ ᒌ ᓂᐹᐤ ᐁ ᒌ ᑯᔥᑖᒋᑦ᙮

namui uhchi chii nipaau e chii kushtaachit.

S/he could not sleep because s/he was afraid.

ᓇᒧᐃ ᓅᐦᒋ ᒌ ᓂᐹᓐ ᐁ ᒌ ᑯᔥᑖᒋᔮᓐ᙮

namui nuuhchi chii nipaan e chii kushtaachiyaan.

I could not sleep because I was afraid.

The grammatical and modal preverbs above are always written separately from the stem, while aspectual and lexical preverbs can be with the stem. Here is a list of common aspectual preverbs, which can also be found as verb initials. See Word Formation.

Preverb

Usage

Examples

ᐊᑎ

ati

about to

ᐊᑎ ᒥᔅᐳᓐ᙮

ati mispun.

It is about to snow.

ᒌ ᐊᑎ ᒥᔅᐳᓐ᙮

chii ati mispun.

It started to snow.

ᒌ ᐊᑎ ᒫᒌᐤ ᑳ ᐧᐋᐸᒪᒃ᙮

chii ati maachiiu kaa waapamak.

S/he was about to leave, when I saw her.

ᒋᐦᒋ

chihchi

starting to

ᒋᐦᒋᒥᔅᐳᓐ᙮

chihchimispun.

It is starting to snow.

ᓂᒋᐦᒋ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

nichihchi miichisun.

I am starting to eat.

ᒌᔑ

chiishi

finished

ᔖᔥ ᓂᒌᔑ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

shaash nichiishi miichisun.

I am finished eating.

ᐃᔥᐧᑳ

iskwaa

finished

ᔖᔥ ᓂᑦ ᐃᔥᐧᑳ ᒦᒋᓱᓐ᙮

shaash nit ishkwaa miichisun.

I have finished eating.

ᐃᔥᐧᑳ ᐋᐱᐦᑖᒌᔑᑳᐤ᙮

ishkwaa aapihtaachiishikaau.

It is afternoon.

ᐴᓂ

puuni

stop

ᔖᔥ ᓂᐴᓈᐸᑎᓰᓐ᙮

shaash nipuunaapatisiin.

I stop working.

For more on preverbs, especially lexical preverbs, see Word Formation.

Preverb or particle?

Small words that occur before the personal prefix in the Independent order, or before the conjunct preverbs are not considered preverbs, but particles. For example ᐃᔥᑲishka is a particle found with the Independent Subjective conjugation. The test we use is that it always occurs before the personal prefixes ni– and chi-. ᐃᔥᑭᑲ ᒋᐸᐹᒧᐦᑌᐙᓈᓇᐙ ᓂᒌ ᐃᔑᓈᓐ᙮ishka chipapaamuhtewaanaanawaa nichii ishinaan. ‘I dreamt that we were walking.’ ᐃᔥᑲ ᓂᐹᐦᐳᐙ ᒫᓈ ᓈᐯᐤ᙮ishka nipaahpuwaa maanaa naapeu. ‘That man is really laughing.’ ᐃᔥᑲ ᒥᐦᒀᐙ᙮ishka mihkwaawaa. ‘It looks like it is red.’

Preverb or initial?

Sometimes, it is hard to decide if a preverb is a preverb or the initial of a verb. This is further complicated by the fact that some preverbs can be used both as preverbs and as initials. And that some initials can be complex initials (made of several parts- see word formation). The rough test we use is this: If you remove it and you still have a verb, then it is a preverb. If you remove it and what is left is not a verb on its own, then it is an initial. For example, ᒋᐦᒋchihchi ‘start to’ can be combined with the verb ᒥᔅᐳᓐmispun in: ᒋᐦᒋ ᒥᔅᐳᓐ᙮chihchi mispun. ‘It is starting to snow.’ We would say it is a preverb, because we can remove ᒋᐦᒋchihchi and still get a verb: ᒥᔅᐳᓐmispun. In ᒋᐦᒋᐸᔫ᙮chihchipayuu. ‘It starts to move’, we cannot remove the ᒋᐦchihchi part. ᐸᔫpayuu alone is not a verb (it is called a final). We thus say that ᒋᐦᒋchihchi is an initial. ᒋᐦᒋᐱᔨᐤ᙮chihchipiyiu. ‘It starts to move.’/’S/he is leaving by vehicle.’ The conclusion is that ᒋᐦᒋ chihchi ‘start to’ is one of these words that can be used both a a preverb and an initial.

Preverb combinations and the order of preverbs

Some preverbs are exclusively used for the independent order, some for the conjunct order and some for all orders, including imperative. Some conjugations can take a lot of preverbs like #01 and #11. Aspectual preverbs combine only with certain verbs. When several preverbs are used, their order is usually fixed:

conjunct preverbs

tense preverbs

modality preverbs

aspectual preverbs

The aspectual preverbs are the ones occuring closest to the stem, with some functioning either as a preverb or an initial. Below is a brief summary of our general observations about preverb combinations: ORDER OF PREVERBS